Context:
Delhi is currently experiencing a severe waterlogging crisis due to the rising water levels of the Yamuna River. The water level has surged to 208.13 meters, marking the highest recorded level since 1963.
Relevance:
GS III: Environment and Ecology
Dimensions of the Article:
- Cause and Impact of Increasing Water Level of Yamuna
- Yamuna River
Cause and Impact of Increasing Water Level of Yamuna
Cause:
- Heavy rainfall in upstream states such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, and Punjab.
- Release of a substantial amount of water from the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana.
Impact:
- Flooding in low-lying areas of Delhi, affecting a significant number of people.
- Disruption of transportation in the affected areas.
- Water supply in Delhi impacted due to closure of water treatment plants.
- Delhi government implementing a 25% cut in water supply.
Yamuna River
- The Yamuna River is a major tributary of the Ganges in Northern India.
- It flows through Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh.
- The Yamuna-Ganga Plain, through which the river flows, is one of the world’s largest alluvial plains.
- It originates from the Yamunotri Glacier in the lower Himalayan ranges.
Important Dam and Tributaries:
- Lakhwar-Vyasi Dam in Uttarakhand and Tajewala Barrage Dam in Haryana are significant structures on the river.
- Important tributaries of the Yamuna include Chambal, Sindh, Betwa, and Ken.
Government Initiatives:
- Yamuna Action Plan: Implemented to address pollution and restore the ecological health of the river.
- Delhi Government’s Six-Point Action Plan: Aims to clean the Yamuna by February 2025 through measures such as sewage treatment plant construction, riverfront development, and interception and diversion of untreated sewage.
-Source: The Hindu
